When it comes to shade, trees pose one of the greatest problems. Removing the culprit obstructing the solar window is the obvious and often hasty solution. But before you reach for the chain saw, consider how the offending object affects the solar window over the full year—rather than one moment, day, or season. Chopping down a tree on the west side of your house that shades your PV array on summer afternoons might mean increased power production during that season, but it also might mean that the loss of shade for your house results in having to run the air conditioner more often.